Sports Card Sellers Sue TikTok & Fanatics

A federal lawsuit has been filed against TikTok, its parent company ByteDance, Fanatics, and several NFL entities. The suit accuses them of conspiring to control the sports collectibles market by pushing independent sellers, known as 'breakers,' off TikTok's livestream marketplace. These breakers open sealed boxes of sports cards and memorabilia for customers via livestreams.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by David Allan Skalsky and QCBRIPNSHIP LLC (operating as Quad City Breaks), alleges that the defendants falsely suggested Fanatics possessed exclusive rights to sell officially licensed NFL merchandise. Skalsky maintains that independent sellers had legally acquired authentic products and were entitled to resell them.

According to the lawsuit, the alleged object of the conspiracy was to exclude independent memorabilia sellers from TikTok unless they exclusively sold Fanatics' merchandise. Sellers reportedly received threatening communications, lost account access, and saw their accumulated followers and platform visibility erased. Skalsky claims his business, once generating up to $200,000 per month, was devastated by repeated account bans beginning in late 2024, leading to bankruptcy and the loss of his home.

The lawsuit asserts that this alleged conduct harmed consumers by reducing choice and concentrating market control within Fanatics-affiliated businesses. Claims include violations of antitrust laws like the Sherman Act and state unfair competition laws. Skalsky seeks financial damages, restoration of his TikTok account, and an injunction against the alleged practices.